The Supreme Tradition of Spelling Bees

Birds in the news. Specifically ducks.

Although the really newsworthy aspect may be the revelation that there is such a thing as a loan officer with a heart.

And before it's too late, Happy 90th Birthday, Nelson Mandela!

There was a period in the 90s when if I was ever depressed I could just think: Nelson Mandela is president of South Africa, and Vaclav Havel is president of Czechoslavakia, so the world is a much better place than I could ever have imagined it becoming.

Edited by: VinnyD to add the birthday greetings

Someone sent that duck story to me, with more photos. Sweet.

Lunar transit of the earth. Pretty cool.

Very cool.

I agree, pretty cool. Cooler than today's weather.

Today is Friend's Day in Argentina. So I want to wish a very happy Friend's Day to all my SToSB friends.

Gracias, Loscar. Any special foods you make on Friend's Day? Or any special activities?

Merci, Loscar. I hope it was nice and, er, friendly.

Happy Friends Day, Loscar.

There have been a couple of stories in the US media recently about Argentina that had nothing to do with politics or the economy. (For a change.) Today on National Pulbic Radio they had an interview with a BA film archivist who had discovered a lot of missing footage from Fritz Lang's Metropolis. And last week in the NY Times food section there was a long piece about Argentine food scientists working to perfect the hamburger.

Trivia note: the idea of a countdown to a rocket take-off originated in Metropolis.

Hamburgers seem to be getting popular not only in Argentina. The other day in the International Herald Tribune there was an article about hamburgers being served in fancy restaurants in Paris. Of course, they did things like put some foie gras on top of the meat, or else added a few unusual condiments. No mention of relish or sweet mustard. The price matched the rest of the menu though -- in one they mentioned, the hamburger cost 35€ (or over $50).